Income support through your books?

[amirose]

Can you help!

Massive debate between me and my other half going on here - do I have to put my income support through my books as income/earnings?

[Minstrel]

No its only things to do with your childminding business.

xx

[sarah707]

If it is a taxable benefit you will need to put it as an income on your tax return... maybe that's what OH is thinking...

It doesn't go anywhere near your childminding books though :D

[Honeychild]

I am new on here and sorry if i sound like a numpty but how can you claim income support if you are self employed?
Don't understand.:blush:

[sarah707]

I am new on here and sorry if i sound like a numpty but how can you claim income support if you are self employed?
Don't understand.:blush:

If you are low income you can claim any number of benefits - usually tax credits but if you work below 16 hours a week you might be eligible for income support as tax credits do not kick in until over these hours.

http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/WorkingAgeBenefits/Dev_015271.xml.html

The best people to talk to regarding benefits are your local Citizens Advice Bureau :D

[sue m]

Thanks for asking the question and thanks Sarah for the reply. I will give the jobcentre plus a ring on Monday. I work 16.5 hours per week and get £99 per week. I don't get any other money for myself. I get money for Steve (as you know he is in a home because he has alzheimer's) but I know that isn't counted in what I earn, even though it comes to me, it's for him. When Steve dies, I will only have the £99 per week if I am still working and still working as I do now.

I was receiving £240p month tax credits, apparently because I was over 50, had been out of work for a few years caring for my husband and had gone back into work and therefore I was allowed tax credits for one year.

I definitely need to look into that.

Thanks :thumbsup: x

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Call the IR and they will tell you what you need to put where but be patient as they are not too good at answering.

[ginag]

For childminders (and firemen!!) the 16 hour rule does not apply as regards to Income Support. Whether you are elegible to claim or continue claiming after you start childminding depends on what you earn rather than the hours. As IS opens up access to other banefits eg council tax benefit, free school meals etc AND only 2/3 of your income is used for calculation AFTER deductable expenses you have to weigh up whether you would be better off claiming IS or Tax Credits.

If you earn less than @ £200 a week you may still be able to claim IS.

An eg is :-

earnings from childminding £200
minus expenses of £50= 150
minus 2/3 income(£100) = £50. This is the fig IS will use.

if you receive £60 pw income support then once you are childminding you will receive £10 pw but still retain access to other benefits .

If you see what I mean!

Gina xx

[sue m]

Oooh, I'm going to print this off and read it 3 or 4 times - it takes me that long for it to sink in!!! :blush: All I get is the £99 per week from my childminding, 16.5 hours a week. I do get council tax benefit but that's it.

Thanks for this info Gina. xx

[Goatgirl]

Hi sue,
I think you should at least be getting some housing benefit if you pay rent!?
Good luck with finding out. I recomment a local help centre or citizens advice who specialise in benefits help. When I needed help both the jobcentre and the housing ben dept of the local council gave me wrong info which would have left me far worse off.
good luck :-)

[Goatgirl]

Hi Amirose,
I don't think Income support is a taxable income. It wasn't for me , but there are two sorts: I got mine because I was a single parent. I would check it out with the CAB if you're not sure.
hope this helps...

bws,
wendy :-)

[sue m]

Hi sue,
I think you should at least be getting some housing benefit if you pay rent!?
Good luck with finding out. I recomment a local help centre or citizens advice who specialise in benefits help. When I needed help both the jobcentre and the housing ben dept of the local council gave me wrong info which would have left me far worse off.
good luck :-)

Hiya and thanks Flora. I've had so many dealings with benefits people and lots of wrong info too. Because Steve is in a home as he has alzheimer's, HE gets benefit which goes into my bank and I then buy him clothes, toiletries, pay for hair cuts and chiropody but I've checked and double checked, that's his money and nothing to do with my income. I'm always in the One Stop Shop pestering the ladies in there and I do get council tax benefit (we own the house, no mortgage) but if there is anything else I'm entitled to, I need to know so I will ask in there and then try the CAB. If I didn't have that money for Steve, I would be living on £99pw and in theory, I am cos that's his money, not mine. :panic: I know what I mean lol. They once overpaid me a lot of money and luckily I had written records of when I'd rung them, what was said, who I'd spoken to, copies of letters I'd written and they insisted they were getting it right and wouldn't listen to me and then suddenly it all stopped and a woman came to the house and said they'd been overpaying me! :angry: I showed her all the records I'd kept of my calls and letters and I didn't have to pay it back because they decided it was their fault. You can't trust them.